Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding video by using pattern information in hierarchical data unit

ABSTRACT

A video decoding apparatus including an extractor which extracts from a bitstream first pattern information indicating whether residual samples of a current coding unit are equal to 0, and when the first pattern information indicates the residual samples are not equal to 0, extracts from the bitstream transformation index information indicating whether a transformation unit of a current level included in the current coding unit is split, a decoder which splits the transformation unit of the current level into transformation units of a lower level when the transformation index information indicates a split of the transformation unit of the current level, wherein the extractor further extracts second pattern information for the transformation unit of the current level when the transformation index information indicates a non-split of the transformation unit of the current level, wherein the second pattern information indicates whether the transformation unit of the current level contains one or more transform coefficients not equal to 0.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser.No. 13/005,880, filed on Jan. 13, 2011, in the United States Patent andTrademark Office, which claims priority from Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2010-0003557, filed on Jan. 14, 2010, in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The exemplary embodiments relate to encoding and decoding a video.

2. Description of the Related Art

As hardware for reproducing and storing high resolution or high qualityvideo content is being developed, there is an increasing need for avideo codec for effectively encoding or decoding the high resolution orhigh quality video content. In a conventional video codec, a video isencoded according to a limited encoding method based on a macroblockhaving a predetermined size.

In the video codec, coded block pattern is used to represent whethertransformation coefficients of a block are transmitted. Texture of theblock relates to whether the block includes a transformation coefficientthat is not 0. Thus, coded block pattern represents characteristicregarding texture of the block.

SUMMARY

The exemplary embodiments provide encoding and decoding of video byusing pattern information that is set and read in a coding unit and in adata unit of a hierarchical structure.

According to an exemplary embodiment, method of encoding video usingpattern information of a hierarchical data unit includes splitting apicture into at least one maximum coding unit that is an encoding dataunit having a maximum size in which the picture is encoded, the maximumcoding unit comprising coding units smaller than the maximum coding unitthat are data units in which the picture is encoded, encoding andtransforming the coding units into transformation units according todepths of the coding units that indicate a number of times the maximumcoding unit is split to obtain the coding units, determining a codeddepth at which a least encoding error of encoding the picture occurs,determining coding units of the determined coded depth, determining anencoding mode with respect to each coding unit of the determined codeddepth including information regarding a size of the transformation unitscorresponding to the determined coding units, and outputting patterninformation indicating whether texture related information is encodedbased on a hierarchical structure of the at least one maximum codingunit, the determined coding units, and the transformation unitscorresponding to the determined coding units according to the determinedencoding mode, information regarding the determined encoding mode, andinformation regarding a maximum size of the determined coding units,wherein the picture is hierarchically split into the at least onemaximum coding unit and the coding units according to the depths, andthe coding units are independently split according to the depths.

The pattern information may include hierarchical coding unit patterninformation indicating whether texture related information and codingunit pattern information of a transformation unit of a lowertransformation depth are encoded, hierarchically from the coding unitsof the coded depths of the maximum coding units to at least onetransformation unit.

The pattern information may further include maximum coding unit patterninformation indicating whether texture related information of themaximum coding units is encoded.

When the maximum coding unit pattern information is set to encode thetexture related information of the maximum coding unit, the hierarchicalcoding unit pattern information for the coding units of the coded depthsof the maximum coding units is set.

The hierarchical coding unit pattern information may bet set until eachcoding units arrives at a transformation unit of the transformationdepth, from among coding units of the coded depths of the maximum codingunits.

According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a method ofdecoding video using pattern information of a hierarchical data unitincludes receiving and parsing a bitstream of an encoded picture,extracting information regarding a maximum size of coding units that aredata units in which the picture is encoded, information regarding anencoding mode with respect to a coding unit among the coding units of acoded depth, and pattern information that indicates whether texturerelated information is encoded based on a hierarchical structure of atleast one maximum coding unit that is an encoding data unit having amaximum size in which the picture is encoded, coding units among thecoding units of coded depths, and transformation units corresponding tothe coding units, from the parsed bitstream, and extracting video dataencoded for the at least one maximum coding unit from the parsedbitstream, based on the information regarding the encoding mode and thepattern information; and decoding the video data encoded for the codingunits of the coded depths and the transformation units, based on theinformation about the maximum size of coding units and the informationregarding the encoding mode, wherein the picture is hierarchically splitinto the at least one maximum coding unit and the coding units accordingto the depths, and the coding units are independently split according tothe coded depths.

The extracting may include: determining whether to extract texturerelated information and coding unit pattern information of atransformation unit of a lower transformation depth based on thehierarchical coding unit pattern information, hierarchically from thecoding units of the coded depths of the maximum coding units to at leastone transformation unit.

The extracting may further include: determining whether to extracttexture related information of the maximum coding units based on themaximum coding unit pattern information.

The extracting may further include: determining whether to extracthierarchical coding unit pattern information of coded depths of themaximum coding units, based on the maximum coding unit patterninformation.

According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there isprovided a video encoding apparatus using pattern information of ahierarchical data unit including: a maximum coding unit splitter thatsplits a picture into at least one maximum coding unit that is anencoding data unit having a maximum size in which the picture isencoded, the maximum coding unit comprising coding units smaller thanthe maximum coding unit that are data units in which the picture isencoded; a coding unit and encoding mode determiner that encodes andtransforms the coding units into transformation units according todepths of the coding units that indicate a number of times the maximumcoding unit is split to obtain the coding units, determines a codeddepth at which a least encoding error of encoding the picture occurs,determines coding units of the determined coded depth, and determines anencoding mode with respect to each coding unit of the determined codeddepth including information regarding a size of the transformation unitscorresponding to the determined coding units; and an output unit thatoutputs pattern information that indicates whether texture relatedinformation is encoded based on a hierarchical structure of the at leastone maximum coding unit, the determined coding units, and thetransformation units corresponding to the determined coding unitsaccording to the determined encoding mode, information regarding thedetermined encoding mode, and information regarding a maximum size ofthe determined coding units, wherein the picture is hierarchically splitinto the at least one maximum coding unit and the coding units accordingto the depths, and the coding units are independently split according tothe depths.

According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there isprovided a video decoding apparatus using pattern information of ahierarchical data unit including: a receiver that receives and parses abitstream of an encoded picture; a data extractor that extractsinformation regarding a maximum size of coding units that are data unitsin which the picture is encoded, information regarding an encoding modewith respect to a coding unit among the coding units of a coded depth,and pattern information that indicates whether texture relatedinformation is encoded based on a hierarchical structure of the at leastone maximum coding unit that is an encoding data unit having a maximumsize in which the picture is encoded, coding units among the codingunits of coded depths, and transformation units corresponding to thecoding units, from the parsed bitstream, and extracting video dataencoded for the at least one maximum coding unit from the parsedbitstream, based on the information regarding the encoding mode and thepattern information; and a decoder that decodes the video data encodedfor the coding units of the coded depths and the transformation units,based on the information regarding the maximum size of coding units andthe information regarding the encoding mode, wherein the picture ishierarchically split into the at least one maximum coding unit and thecoding units according to the depths, and the coding units areindependently split according to the coded depths.

According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there isprovided a computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon aprogram for executing a video encoding method using pattern informationof a hierarchical data unit.

According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there isprovided a computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon aprogram for executing a video encoding method using pattern informationof a hierarchical data unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other features will become more apparent by describingin detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attacheddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for encoding a video,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an apparatus for decoding a video,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing a concept of coding units, accordingto an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an image encoder based on coding units,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an image decoder based on coding units,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating deeper coding units according to depthsand partitions, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing a relationship between a coding unitand transformation units, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a diagram for describing encoding information of coding unitscorresponding to a coded depth, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagram of deeper coding units according to depths,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 are diagrams for describing a relationship betweencoding units, prediction units, and transformation units, according toan exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a diagram for describing a relationship between a codingunit, a prediction unit or a partition, and a transformation unit,according to encoding mode information of an exemplary embodiment inTable 1;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method of encoding a video,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of decoding a video,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a video encoding apparatus using patterninformation of a hierarchical data unit, according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a video decoding apparatus using patterninformation of a hierarchical data unit, according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 18 illustrates a hierarchical structure of a maximum coding unitand coding units of a coded depth, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIGS. 19, 20A-B, and 21A-C are flowcharts of encoding processes usinggroup pattern information, according to exemplary embodiments;

FIGS. 22 and 23 are diagrams for comparing processes for encodinghierarchical data unit pattern information and single level patterninformation, according to exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 24 is a diagram for describing a concept of reverse patterninformation, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a flowchart of a process for encoding density patterninformation, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a process for decodingtransformation index and pattern information, according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating a video encoding method usingpattern information of a hierarchical data unit, according to anexemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a video decoding method usingpattern information of a hierarchical data unit, according to anexemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the exemplary embodiments will be described more fully withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which the exemplaryembodiments are shown. As used throughout the specification, the term“unit” may or may not refer to a unit of size, depending on its context.

Hereinafter, a ‘coding unit’ is an encoding data unit in which the imagedata is encoded at an encoder side, for example an encoding apparatusincluding a processor and an encoder, and an encoded data unit in whichthe encoded image data is decoded at a decoder side, for example adecoding apparatus including a processor and a decoder, according to theexemplary embodiments. Also, a ‘coded depth’ means a depth at which acoding unit is encoded.

Hereinafter, an ‘image’ may denote a still image for a video or a movingimage, that is, the video itself.

Encoding and decoding of video based on a spatially hierarchical dataunit according to an exemplary embodiment will be described withreference to FIGS. 1 through 15, and encoding and decoding of video byusing pattern information of a hierarchical data unit according to anexemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 16through 28.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video encoding apparatus 100, accordingto an exemplary embodiment.

The video encoding apparatus 100 includes a maximum coding unit splitter110, a coding unit determiner 120, and an output unit 130.

The maximum coding unit splitter 110 may split a current picture basedon a maximum coding unit for the current picture of an image. If thecurrent picture is larger than the maximum coding unit, image data ofthe current picture may be split into the at least one maximum codingunit. The maximum coding unit according to an exemplary embodiment maybe a data unit having a size of 32×32, 64×64, 128×128, 256×256, etc.,wherein a shape of the data unit is a square having a width and heightin squares of 2. The image data may be output to the coding unitdeterminer 120 according to the at least one maximum coding unit.

A coding unit according to an exemplary embodiment may be characterizedby a maximum size and a depth. The depth denotes a number of times thecoding unit is spatially split from the maximum coding unit, and as thedepth deepens or increases, deeper coding units according to depths maybe split from the maximum coding unit to a minimum coding unit. A depthof the maximum coding unit is an uppermost depth and a depth of theminimum coding unit is a lowermost depth. Since a size of a coding unitcorresponding to each depth decreases as the depth of the maximum codingunit deepens, a coding unit corresponding to an upper depth may includea plurality of coding units corresponding to lower depths.

As described above, the image data of the current picture is split intothe maximum coding units according to a maximum size of the coding unit,and each of the maximum coding units may include deeper coding unitsthat are split according to depths. Since the maximum coding unitaccording to an exemplary embodiment is split according to depths, theimage data of a spatial domain included in the maximum coding unit maybe hierarchically classified according to depths.

A maximum depth and a maximum size of a coding unit, which limit thetotal number of times a height and a width of the maximum coding unitare hierarchically split may be predetermined.

The coding unit determiner 120 encodes at least one split regionobtained by splitting a region of the maximum coding unit according todepths, and determines a depth to output finally encoded image dataaccording to the at least one split region. In other words, the codingunit determiner 120 determines a coded depth by encoding the image datain the deeper coding units according to depths, according to the maximumcoding unit of the current picture, and selects a depth having the leastencoding error. Thus, the encoded image data of the coding unitcorresponding to the determined coded depth is finally output. Also, thecoding units corresponding to the coded depth may be regarded as encodedcoding units.

The determined coded depth and the encoded image data according to thedetermined coded depth are output to the output unit 130.

The image data in the maximum coding unit is encoded based on the deepercoding units corresponding to at least one depth equal to or below themaximum depth, and results of encoding the image data are compared basedon each of the deeper coding units. A depth having the least encodingerror may be selected after comparing encoding errors of the deepercoding units. At least one coded depth may be selected for each maximumcoding unit.

The size of the maximum coding unit is split as a coding unit ishierarchically split according to depths, and as the number of codingunits increases. Also, even if coding units correspond to same depth inone maximum coding unit, it is determined whether to split each of thecoding units corresponding to the same depth to a lower depth bymeasuring an encoding error of the image data of the each coding unit,separately. Accordingly, even when image data is included in one maximumcoding unit, the image data is split to regions according to the depthsand the encoding errors may differ according to regions in the onemaximum coding unit, and thus the coded depths may differ according toregions in the image data. Thus, one or more coded depths may bedetermined in one maximum coding unit, and the image data of the maximumcoding unit may be split according to coding units of at least one codeddepth.

Accordingly, the coding unit determiner 120 may determine coding unitshaving a tree structure included in the maximum coding unit. The ‘codingunits having a tree structure’ according to an exemplary embodimentinclude coding units corresponding to a depth determined to be the codeddepth, from among all deeper coding units included in the maximum codingunit. A coding unit of a coded depth may be hierarchically determinedaccording to depths in the same region of the maximum coding unit, andmay be independently determined in different regions. Similarly, a codeddepth in a current region may be independently determined from a codeddepth in another region.

A maximum depth according to an exemplary embodiment is an index relatedto the number of times image data is split from a maximum coding unit toa minimum coding unit. A first maximum depth according to an exemplaryembodiment may denote the total number of times the image data is splitfrom the maximum coding unit to the minimum coding unit. A secondmaximum depth according to an exemplary embodiment may denote the totalnumber of depth levels from the maximum coding unit to the minimumcoding unit. For example, when a depth of the maximum coding unit is 0,a depth of a coding unit, in which the maximum coding unit is splitonce, may be set to 1, and a depth of a coding unit, in which themaximum coding unit is split twice, may be set to 2. Here, if theminimum coding unit is a coding unit in which the maximum coding unit issplit four times, 5 depth levels of depths 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 exist, andthus the first maximum depth may be set to 4, and the second maximumdepth may be set to 5.

Prediction encoding and transformation may be performed according to themaximum coding unit. The prediction encoding and the transformation arealso performed based on the deeper coding units according to a depthequal to or depths less than the maximum depth, according to the maximumcoding unit. Transformation may be performed according to method oforthogonal transformation or integer transformation.

Since the number of deeper coding units increases whenever the maximumcoding unit is split according to depths, encoding including theprediction encoding and the transformation is performed on all of thedeeper coding units generated as the depth deepens. For convenience ofdescription, the prediction encoding and the transformation will now bedescribed based on a coding unit of a current depth, in a maximum codingunit.

The video encoding apparatus 100 may variably select a size or shape ofa data unit for encoding the image data. In order to encode the imagedata, operations, such as prediction encoding, transformation, andentropy encoding, are performed. The same data unit may be used for alloperations or different data units may be used for each operation.

For example, the video encoding apparatus 100 may select not only acoding unit for encoding the image data, but also a data unit differentfrom the coding unit so as to perform the prediction encoding on theimage data in the coding unit.

In order to perform prediction encoding in the maximum coding unit, theprediction encoding may be performed based on a coding unitcorresponding to a coded depth, i.e., based on a coding unit that is nolonger split to coding units corresponding to a lower depth.Hereinafter, the coding unit that is no longer split and becomes a basisunit for prediction encoding will now be referred to as a ‘predictionunit’. A partition obtained by splitting the prediction unit may includea prediction unit or a data unit obtained by splitting at least one of aheight and a width of the prediction unit.

For example, when a coding unit of 2N×2N (where N is a positive integer)is no longer split and becomes a prediction unit of 2N×2N, a size of apartition may be 2N×2N, 2N×N, N×2N, or N×N. Examples of a partition typeinclude symmetrical partitions that are obtained by symmetricallysplitting a height or width of the prediction unit, partitions obtainedby asymmetrically splitting the height or width of the prediction unit,such as 1:n or n:1 ratios, partitions that are obtained by geometricallysplitting the prediction unit, and partitions having arbitrary shapes.

A prediction mode of the prediction unit may be at least one of an intramode, a inter mode, and a skip mode. For example, the intra mode or theinter mode may be performed on the partition of 2N×2N, 2N×N, N×2N, orN×N. Also, the skip mode may be performed only on the partition of2N×2N. The encoding is independently performed on one prediction unit ina coding unit, thereby selecting a prediction mode having fewestencoding errors.

The video encoding apparatus 100 may also perform the transformation onthe image data in a coding unit based not only on the coding unit forencoding the image data, but also based on a data unit that is differentfrom the coding unit.

In order to perform the transformation in the coding unit, thetransformation may be performed based on a data unit having a size lessthan or equal to the coding unit. For example, the data unit for thetransformation may include a data unit for an intra mode and a data unitfor an inter mode.

A data unit used as a base of the transformation will now be referred toas a ‘transformation unit’. A transformation depth indicating the numberof splits to reach the transformation unit by splitting the height andwidth of the coding unit may also be set in the transformation unit. Forexample, in a current coding unit of 2N×2N, a transformation depth maybe 0 when the size of a transformation unit is also 2N×2N, atransformation depth may be 1 when each of the height and width of thecurrent coding unit is split into two equal parts, totally split into 4¹transformation units, and the size of the transformation unit is thusN×N, and a transformation depth may be 2 when each of the height andwidth of the current coding unit is split into four equal parts, totallysplit into 4² transformation units and the size of the transformationunit is thus N/2×N/2. For example, the transformation unit may be setaccording to a hierarchical tree structure, in which a transformationunit of an upper transformation depth is split into four transformationunits of a lower transformation depth according to the hierarchicalcharacteristics of a transformation depth.

Similar to the coding unit, the transformation unit in the coding unitmay be recursively split into smaller sized regions, so that thetransformation unit may be determined independently in units of regions.Thus, residual data in the coding unit may be split according to thetransformation having the tree structure according to transformationdepths.

Encoding information according to coding units corresponding to a codeddepth requires not only information about the coded depth, but alsoabout information related to prediction encoding and transformation.Accordingly, the coding unit determiner 120 not only determines a codeddepth having least encoding errors, but also determines a partition typein a prediction unit, a prediction mode according to prediction units,and a size of a transformation unit for transformation.

Coding units according to a tree structure in a maximum coding unit anda method of determining a partition, according to exemplary embodiments,will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 3 through 12.

The coding unit determiner 120 may measure an encoding error of deepercoding units according to depths by using Rate-Distortion Optimizationbased on Lagrangian multipliers.

The output unit 130 outputs the image data of the maximum coding unit,which is encoded based on the at least one coded depth determined by thecoding unit determiner 120, and information about the encoding modeaccording to the coded depth, in bitstreams.

The encoded image data may be obtained by encoding residual data of animage.

The information about the encoding mode according to coded depth mayinclude information about the coded depth, about the partition type inthe prediction unit, the prediction mode, and the size of thetransformation unit.

The information about the coded depth may be defined by using splitinformation according to depths, which indicates whether encoding isperformed on coding units of a lower depth instead of a current depth.If the current depth of the current coding unit is the coded depth,image data in the current coding unit is encoded and output, and thusthe split information may be defined not to split the current codingunit to a lower depth. Alternatively, if the current depth of thecurrent coding unit is not the coded depth, the encoding is performed onthe coding unit of the lower depth, and thus the split information maybe defined to split the current coding unit to obtain the coding unitsof the lower depth.

If the current depth is not the coded depth, encoding is performed onthe coding unit that is split into the coding unit of the lower depth.Since at least one coding unit of the lower depth exists in one codingunit of the current depth, the encoding is repeatedly performed on eachcoding unit of the lower depth, and thus the encoding may be recursivelyperformed for the coding units having the same depth.

Since the coding units having a tree structure are determined for onemaximum coding unit, and information about at least one encoding mode isdetermined for a coding unit of a coded depth, information about atleast one encoding mode may be determined for one maximum coding unit.Also, a coded depth of the image data of the maximum coding unit may bedifferent according to locations since the image data is hierarchicallysplit according to depths, and thus information about the coded depthand the encoding mode may be set for the image data.

Accordingly, the output unit 130 may assign encoding information about acorresponding coded depth and an encoding mode to at least one of thecoding unit, the prediction unit, and a minimum unit included in themaximum coding unit.

The minimum unit according to an exemplary embodiment is a rectangulardata unit obtained by splitting the minimum coding unit constituting thelowermost depth by 4. Alternatively, the minimum unit may be a maximumrectangular data unit that may be included in all of the coding units,prediction units, partition units, and transformation units included inthe maximum coding unit.

For example, the encoding information output through the output unit 130may be classified into encoding information according to coding units,and encoding information according to prediction units. The encodinginformation according to the coding units may include the informationabout the prediction mode and about the size of the partitions. Theencoding information according to the prediction units may includeinformation about an estimated direction of an inter mode, about areference image index of the inter mode, about a motion vector, about achroma component of an intra mode, and about an interpolation method ofthe intra mode. Also, information about a maximum size of the codingunit defined according to pictures, slices, or GOPs, and informationabout a maximum depth may be inserted into SPS (Sequence Parameter Set)or a header of a bitstream.

In the video encoding apparatus 100, the deeper coding unit may be acoding unit obtained by splitting a height or width of a coding unit ofan upper depth, which is one layer above, by two. In other words, whenthe size of the coding unit of the current depth is 2N×2N, the size ofthe coding unit of the lower depth is N×N. Also, the coding unit of thecurrent depth having the size of 2N×2N may include a maximum of 4 codingunits of the lower depth.

Accordingly, the video encoding apparatus 100 may form the coding unitshaving the tree structure by determining coding units having an optimumshape and an optimum size for each maximum coding unit, based on thesize of the maximum coding unit and the maximum depth determinedconsidering characteristics of the current picture. Also, since encodingmay be performed on each maximum coding unit by using any one of variousprediction modes and transformations, an optimum encoding mode may bedetermined considering characteristics of the coding unit of variousimage sizes.

If an image having high resolution or large data amount is encoded in aconventional macroblock, a number of macroblocks per picture excessivelyincreases. Accordingly, a number of pieces of compressed informationgenerated for each macroblock increases, and thus it is difficult totransmit the compressed information and data compression efficiencydecreases. However, by using the video encoding apparatus 100, imagecompression efficiency may be increased since a coding unit is adjustedwhile considering characteristics of an image while increasing a maximumsize of a coding unit while considering a size of the image.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a video decoding apparatus 200, accordingto an exemplary embodiment.

The video decoding apparatus 200 includes a receiver 210, an image dataand encoding information extractor 220, and an image data decoder 230.Definitions of various terms, such as a coding unit, a depth, aprediction unit, a transformation unit, and information about variousencoding modes, for various operations of the video decoding apparatus200 are identical to those described with reference to FIG. 1 and thevideo encoding apparatus 100.

The receiver 210 receives and parses a bitstream of an encoded video.The image data and encoding information extractor 220 extracts encodedimage data for each coding unit from the parsed bitstream, wherein thecoding units have a tree structure according to each maximum codingunit, and outputs the extracted image data to the image data decoder230. The image data and encoding information extractor 220 may extractinformation about a maximum size of a coding unit of a current picture,from a header about the current picture or SPS.

Also, the image data and encoding information extractor 220 extractsinformation about a coded depth and an encoding mode for the codingunits having a tree structure according to each maximum coding unit,from the parsed bitstream. The extracted information about the codeddepth and the encoding mode is output to the image data decoder 230. Inother words, the image data in a bit stream is split into the maximumcoding unit so that the image data decoder 230 decodes the image datafor each maximum coding unit.

The information about the coded depth and the encoding mode according tothe maximum coding unit may be set for information about at least onecoding unit corresponding to the coded depth, and information about anencoding mode may include information about a partition type of acorresponding coding unit corresponding to the coded depth, about aprediction mode, and a size of a transformation unit. Also, splittinginformation according to depths may be extracted as the informationabout the coded depth.

The information about the coded depth and the encoding mode according toeach maximum coding unit extracted by the image data and encodinginformation extractor 220 is information about a coded depth and anencoding mode determined to generate a minimum encoding error when anencoder, such as the video encoding apparatus 100, repeatedly performsencoding for each deeper coding unit according to depths according toeach maximum coding unit. Accordingly, the video decoding apparatus 200may restore an image by decoding the image data according to a codeddepth and an encoding mode that generates the minimum encoding error.

Since encoding information about the coded depth and the encoding modemay be assigned to a predetermined data unit from among a correspondingcoding unit, a prediction unit, and a minimum unit, the image data andencoding information extractor 220 may extract the information about thecoded depth and the encoding mode according to the predetermined dataunits. The predetermined data units to which the same information aboutthe coded depth and the encoding mode is assigned may be inferred to bethe data units included in the same maximum coding unit.

The image data decoder 230 restores the current picture by decoding theimage data in each maximum coding unit based on the information aboutthe coded depth and the encoding mode according to the maximum codingunits. In other words, the image data decoder 230 may decode the encodedimage data based on the extracted information about the partition type,the prediction mode, and the transformation unit for each coding unitfrom among the coding units having the tree structure included in eachmaximum coding unit. A decoding process may include a predictionincluding intra prediction and motion compensation, and an inversetransformation. Inverse transformation may be performed according tomethod of inverse orthogonal transformation or inverse integertransformation.

The image data decoder 230 may perform intra prediction or motioncompensation according to a partition and a prediction mode of eachcoding unit, based on the information about the partition type and theprediction mode of the prediction unit of the coding unit according tocoded depths.

Also, the image data decoder 230 may perform inverse transformationaccording to each transformation unit in the coding unit, based on theinformation about the size of the transformation unit of the coding unitaccording to coded depths, so as to perform the inverse transformationaccording to maximum coding units.

The image data decoder 230 may determine at least one coded depth of acurrent maximum coding unit by using split information according todepths. If the split information indicates that image data is no longersplit in the current depth, the current depth is a coded depth.Accordingly, the image data decoder 230 may decode encoded data of atleast one coding unit corresponding to the each coded depth in thecurrent maximum coding unit by using the information about the partitiontype of the prediction unit, the prediction mode, and the size of thetransformation unit for each coding unit corresponding to the codeddepth, and output the image data of the current maximum coding unit.

In other words, data units containing the encoding information includingthe same split information may be gathered by observing the encodinginformation set assigned for the predetermined data unit from among thecoding unit, the prediction unit, and the minimum unit, and the gathereddata units may be considered to be one data unit to be decoded by theimage data decoder 230 in the same encoding mode.

The video decoding apparatus 200 may obtain information about at leastone coding unit that generates the minimum encoding error when encodingis recursively performed for each maximum coding unit, and may use theinformation to decode the current picture. In other words, the codingunits having the tree structure determined to be the optimum codingunits in each maximum coding unit may be decoded. Also, the maximum sizeof coding unit is determined considering resolution and an amount ofimage data.

Accordingly, even if image data has high resolution and a large amountof data, the image data may be efficiently decoded and restored by usinga size of a coding unit and an encoding mode, which are adaptivelydetermined according to characteristics of the image data, by usinginformation about an optimum encoding mode received from an encoder.

A method of determining coding units having a tree structure, aprediction unit, and a transformation unit, according to an exemplaryembodiment, will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 through 13.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing a concept of coding units, accordingto an exemplary embodiment.

A size of a coding unit may be expressed in width×height, and may be64×64, 32×32, 16×16, and 8×8. A coding unit of 64×64 may be split intopartitions of 64×64, 64×32, 32×64, or 32×32, a coding unit of 32×32 maybe split into partitions of 32×32, 32×16, 16×32, or 16×16, a coding unitof 16×16 may be split into partitions of 16×16, 16×8, 8×16, or 8×8, anda coding unit of 8×8 may be split into partitions of 8×8, 8×4, 4×8, or4×4.

In video data 310, a resolution is 1920×1080, a maximum size of a codingunit is 64, and a maximum depth is 2. In video data 320, a resolution is1920×1080, a maximum size of a coding unit is 64, and a maximum depth is3. In video data 330, a resolution is 352×288, a maximum size of acoding unit is 16, and a maximum depth is 1. The maximum depth shown inFIG. 3 denotes a total number of splits from a maximum coding unit to aminimum decoding unit.

If a resolution is high or a data amount is large, a maximum size of acoding unit may be large so as to not only increase encoding efficiency,but also to accurately reflect characteristics of an image. Accordingly,the maximum size of the coding unit of the video data 310 and 320 havingthe higher resolution than the video data 330 may be 64.

Since the maximum depth of the video data 310 is 2, coding units 315 ofthe video data 310 may include a maximum coding unit having a long axissize of 64, and coding units having long axis sizes of 32 and 16 sincedepths are deepened to two layers by splitting the maximum coding unittwice. Meanwhile, since the maximum depth of the video data 330 is 1,coding units 335 of the video data 330 may include a maximum coding unithaving a long axis size of 16, and coding units having a long axis sizeof 8 since depths are deepened to one layer by splitting the maximumcoding unit once.

Since the maximum depth of the video data 320 is 3, coding units 325 ofthe video data 320 may include a maximum coding unit having a long axissize of 64, and coding units having long axis sizes of 32, 16, and 8since the depths are deepened to 3 layers by splitting the maximumcoding unit three times. As a depth deepens, detailed information may beprecisely expressed.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an image encoder 400 based on coding units,according to an exemplary embodiment.

The image encoder 400 performs operations of the coding unit determiner120 of the video encoding apparatus 100 to encode image data. In otherwords, an intra predictor 410 performs intra prediction on coding unitsin an intra mode, from among a current frame 405, and a motion estimator420 and a motion compensator 425 respectively perform inter estimationand motion compensation on coding units in an inter mode from among thecurrent frame 405 by using the current frame 405, and a reference frame495.

Data output from the intra predictor 410, the motion estimator 420, andthe motion compensator 425 is output as a quantized transformationcoefficient through a transformer 430 and a quantizer 440. The quantizedtransformation coefficient is restored as data in a spatial domainthrough an inverse quantizer 460 and an inverse transformer 470, and therestored data in the spatial domain is output as the reference frame 495after being post-processed through a deblocking unit 480 and a loopfiltering unit 490. The quantized transformation coefficient may beoutput as a bitstream 455 through an entropy encoder 450.

In order for the image encoder 400 to be applied in the video encodingapparatus 100, all elements of the image encoder 400, i.e., the intrapredictor 410, the motion estimator 420, the motion compensator 425, thetransformer 430, the quantizer 440, the entropy encoder 450, the inversequantizer 460, the inverse transformer 470, the deblocking unit 480, andthe loop filtering unit 490 perform operations based on each coding unitfrom among coding units having a tree structure while considering themaximum depth of each maximum coding unit.

Specifically, the intra predictor 410, the motion estimator 420, and themotion compensator 425 determine partitions and a prediction mode ofeach coding unit from among the coding units having a tree structurewhile considering the maximum size and the maximum depth of a currentmaximum coding unit, and the transformer 430 determines the size of thetransformation unit in each coding unit from among the coding unitshaving a tree structure.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an image decoder 500 based on coding units,according to an exemplary embodiment.

A parser 510 parses encoded image data to be decoded and informationabout encoding required for decoding from a bitstream 505. The encodedimage data is output as inverse quantized data through an entropydecoder 520 and an inverse quantizer 530, and the inverse quantized datais restored to image data in a spatial domain through an inversetransformer 540.

An intra predictor 550 performs intra prediction on coding units in anintra mode with respect to the image data in the spatial domain, and amotion compensator 560 performs motion compensation on coding units inan inter mode by using a reference frame 585.

The image data in the spatial domain, which passed through the intrapredictor 550 and the motion compensator 560, may be output as arestored frame 595 after being post-processed through a deblocking unit570 and a loop filtering unit 580. Also, the image data that ispost-processed through the deblocking unit 570 and the loop filteringunit 580 may be output as the reference frame 585.

In order to decode the image data in the image data decoder 230 of thevideo decoding apparatus 200, the image decoder 500 may performoperations that are performed after the parser 510.

In order for the image decoder 500 to be applied in the video decodingapparatus 200, all elements of the image decoder 500, i.e., the parser510, the entropy decoder 520, the inverse quantizer 530, the inversetransformer 540, the intra predictor 550, the motion compensator 560,the deblocking unit 570, and the loop filtering unit 580 performoperations based on coding units having a tree structure for eachmaximum coding unit.

Specifically, the intra predictor 550 and the motion compensator 560perform operations based on partitions and a prediction mode for each ofthe coding units having a tree structure, and the inverse transformer540 perform operations based on a size of a transformation unit for eachcoding unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating deeper coding units according todepths, and partitions, according to an exemplary embodiment.

The video encoding apparatus 100 and the video decoding apparatus 200use hierarchical coding units to consider characteristics of an image. Amaximum height, a maximum width, and a maximum depth of coding units maybe adaptively determined according to the characteristics of the image,or may be differently set by a user. Sizes of deeper coding unitsaccording to depths may be determined according to the predeterminedmaximum size of the coding unit.

In a hierarchical structure 600 of coding units, according to anexemplary embodiment, the maximum height and the maximum width of thecoding units are each 64, and the maximum depth is 4. Since a depthdeepens along a vertical axis of the hierarchical structure 600, aheight and a width of the deeper coding unit are each split. Also, aprediction unit and partitions, which are bases for prediction encodingof each deeper coding unit, are shown along a horizontal axis of thehierarchical structure 600.

In other words, a coding unit 610 is a maximum coding unit in thehierarchical structure 600, wherein a depth is 0 and a size, i.e., aheight by width, is 64×64. The depth deepens along the vertical axis,and a coding unit 620 having a size of 32×32 and a depth of 1, a codingunit 630 having a size of 16×16 and a depth of 2, a coding unit 640having a size of 8×8 and a depth of 3, and a coding unit 650 having asize of 4×4 and a depth of 4 exist. The coding unit 650 having the sizeof 4×4 and the depth of 4 is a minimum coding unit.

The prediction unit and the partitions of a coding unit are arrangedalong the horizontal axis according to each depth. In other words, ifthe coding unit 610 having the size of 64×64 and the depth of 0 is aprediction unit, the prediction unit may be split into partitionsinclude in the coding unit 610, i.e. a partition 610 having a size of64×64, partitions 612 having the size of 64×32, partitions 614 havingthe size of 32×64, or partitions 616 having the size of 32×32.

Similarly, a prediction unit of the coding unit 620 having the size of32×32 and the depth of 1 may be split into partitions included in thecoding unit 620, i.e. a partition 620 having a size of 32×32, partitions622 having a size of 32×16, partitions 624 having a size of 16×32, andpartitions 626 having a size of 16×16.

Similarly, a prediction unit of the coding unit 630 having the size of16×16 and the depth of 2 may be split into partitions included in thecoding unit 630, i.e., a partition having a size of 16×16 included inthe coding unit 630, partitions 632 having a size of 16×8, partitions634 having a size of 8×16, and partitions 636 having a size of 8×8.

Similarly, a prediction unit of the coding unit 640 having the size of8×8 and the depth of 3 may be split into partitions included in thecoding unit 640, i.e. a partition having a size of 8×8 included in thecoding unit 640, partitions 642 having a size of 8×4, partitions 644having a size of 4×8, and partitions 646 having a size of 4×4.

The coding unit 650 having the size of 4×4 and the depth of 4 is theminimum coding unit and a coding unit of the lowermost depth. Aprediction unit of the coding unit 650 is only assigned to a partitionhaving a size of 4×4, as opposed to being partitioned into partitions652 having a size of 4×2, partitions 654 having a size of 2×4, andpartitions 656 having a size of 2×2.

In order to determine the at least one coded depth of the coding unitsconstituting the maximum coding unit 610, the coding unit determiner 120of the video encoding apparatus 100 performs encoding for coding unitscorresponding to each depth included in the maximum coding unit 610.

A number of deeper coding units according to depths including data inthe same range and the same size increases as the depth deepens. Forexample, four coding units corresponding to a depth of 2 are required tocover data that is included in one coding unit corresponding to a depthof 1. Accordingly, in order to compare encoding results of the same dataaccording to depths, the coding unit corresponding to the depth of 1 andfour coding units corresponding to the depth of 2 are each encoded.

In order to perform encoding for a current depth from among the depths,least encoding errors may be selected for the current depth byperforming encoding for each prediction unit in the coding unitscorresponding to the current depth, along the horizontal axis of thehierarchical structure 600. Alternatively, the minimum encoding errormay be searched for by comparing the least encoding errors according todepths, by performing encoding for each depth as the depth deepens alongthe vertical axis of the hierarchical structure 600. A depth and apartition having the minimum encoding error in the coding unit 610 maybe selected as the coded depth and a partition type of the coding unit610.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing a relationship between a coding unit710 and transformation units 720, according to an exemplary embodiment.

The video encoding apparatus 100 or 200 encodes or decodes an imageaccording to coding units having sizes smaller than or equal to amaximum coding unit for each maximum coding unit. Sizes oftransformation units for transformation during encoding may be selectedbased on data units that are not larger than a corresponding codingunit.

For example, in the video encoding apparatus 100 or 200, if a size ofthe coding unit 710 is 64×64, transformation may be performed by usingthe transformation units 720 having a size of 32×32.

Also, data of the coding unit 710 having the size of 64×64 may beencoded by performing the transformation on each of the transformationunits having the size of 32×32, 16×16, 8×8, and 4×4, which are smallerthan 64×64, and then a transformation unit having the least coding errormay be selected.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for describing encoding information of coding unitscorresponding to a coded depth, according to an exemplary embodiment.

The output unit 130 of the video encoding apparatus 100 may encode andtransmit information 800 about a partition type, information 810 about aprediction mode, and information 820 about a size of a transformationunit for each coding unit corresponding to a coded depth, as informationabout an encoding mode.

The information 800 indicates information about a shape of a partitionobtained by splitting a prediction unit of a current coding unit,wherein the partition is a data unit for prediction encoding the currentcoding unit. For example, a current coding unit CU_(—)0 having a size of2N×2N may be split into any one of a partition 802 having a size of2N×2N, a partition 804 having a size of 2N×N, a partition 806 having asize of N×2N, and a partition 808 having a size of N×N. Here, theinformation 800 about a partition type is set to indicate one of thepartition 804 having a size of 2N×N, the partition 806 having a size ofN×2N, and the partition 808 having a size of N×N

The information 810 indicates a prediction mode of each partition. Forexample, the information 810 may indicate a mode of prediction encodingperformed on a partition indicated by the information 800, i.e., anintra mode 812, an inter mode 814, or a skip mode 816.

The information 820 indicates a transformation unit to be based on whentransformation is performed on a current coding unit. For example, thetransformation unit may be a first intra transformation unit 822, asecond intra transformation unit 824, a first inter transformation unit826, or a second inter transformation unit 828.

The image data and encoding information extractor 220 of the videodecoding apparatus 200 may extract and use the information 800, 810, and820 for decoding, according to each deeper coding unit.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of deeper coding units according to depths,according to an exemplary embodiment.

Split information may be used to indicate a change of a depth. The spiltinformation indicates whether a coding unit of a current depth is splitinto coding units of a lower depth.

A prediction unit 910 for prediction encoding a coding unit 900 having adepth of 0 and a size of 2N_(—)0×2N_(—)0 may include partitions of apartition type 912 having a size of 2N_(—)0×2N_(—)0, a partition type914 having a size of 2N_(—)0×N_(—)0, a partition type 916 having a sizeof N_(—)0×2N_(—)0, and a partition type 918 having a size ofN_(—)0×N_(—)0. FIG. 9 only illustrates the partition types 912 through918 which are obtained by symmetrically splitting the prediction unit910, but a partition type is not limited thereto, and the partitions ofthe prediction unit 910 may include asymmetrical partitions, partitionshaving a predetermined shape, and partitions having a geometrical shape.

Prediction encoding is repeatedly performed on one partition having asize of 2N_(—)0×2N_(—)0, two partitions having a size of 2N_(—)0×N_(—)0,two partitions having a size of N_(—)0×2N_(—)0, and four partitionshaving a size of N_(—)0×N_(—)0, according to each partition type. Theprediction encoding in an intra mode and an inter mode may be performedon the partitions having the sizes of 2N_(—)0×2N_(—)0, N_(—)0×2N_(—)0,2N_(—)0×N_(—)0, and N_(—)0×N_(—)0. The prediction encoding in a skipmode is performed only on the partition having the size of2N_(—)0×2N_(—)0.

Errors of encoding including the prediction encoding in the partitiontypes 912 through 918 are compared, and the least encoding error isdetermined among the partition types. If an encoding error is smallestin one of the partition types 912 through 916, the prediction unit 910may not be split into a lower depth.

If the encoding error is the smallest in the partition type 918, a depthis changed from 0 to 1 to split the partition type 918 in operation 920,and encoding is repeatedly performed on coding units 930 having a depthof 2 and a size of N_(—)0×N_(—)0 to search for a minimum encoding error.

A prediction unit 940 for prediction encoding the coding unit 930 havinga depth of 1 and a size of 2N_(—)1×2N_(—)1 (=N_(—)0×N_(—)0) may includepartitions of a partition type 942 having a size of 2N_(—)1×2N_(—)1, apartition type 944 having a size of 2N_(—)1×N_(—)1, a partition type 946having a size of N_(—)1×2N_(—)1, and a partition type 948 having a sizeof N_(—)1×N_(—)1.

If an encoding error is the smallest in the partition type 948, a depthis changed from 1 to 2 to split the partition type 948 in operation 950,and encoding is repeatedly performed on coding units 960, which have adepth of 2 and a size of N_(—)2×N_(—)2 to search for a minimum encodingerror.

When a maximum depth is d, split operation according to each depth maybe performed up to when a depth becomes d−1, and split information maybe encoded as up to when a depth is one of 0 to d−2. In other words,when encoding is performed up to when the depth is d−1 after a codingunit corresponding to a depth of d−2 is split in operation 970, aprediction unit 990 for prediction encoding a coding unit 980 having adepth of d−1 and a size of 2N_(d−1)×2N_(d−1) may include partitions of apartition type 992 having a size of 2N_(d−1)×2N_(d−1), a partition type994 having a size of 2N_(d−1)×N_(d−1), a partition type 996 having asize of N_(d−1)×2N_(d−1), and a partition type 998 having a size ofN_(d−1)×N_(d−1). Prediction encoding may be repeatedly performed on onepartition having a size of 2N_(d−1)×2N_(d−1), two partitions having asize of 2N_(d−1)×N_(d−1), two partitions having a size ofN_(d−1)×2N_(d−1), four partitions having a size of N_(d−1)×N_(d−1) fromamong the partition types 992 through 998 to search for a partition typehaving a minimum encoding error.

Even when the partition type 998 has the minimum encoding error, since amaximum depth is d, a coding unit CU_(d−1) having a depth of d−1 is nolonger split to a lower depth, and a coded depth for the coding unitsconstituting a current maximum coding unit 900 is determined to be d−1and a partition type of the current maximum coding unit 900 may bedetermined to be N_(d−1)×N_(d−1). Also, since the maximum depth is d anda minimum coding unit 980 having a lowermost depth of d−1 is no longersplit to a lower depth, split information for the minimum coding unit980 is not set.

A data unit 999 may be a ‘minimum unit’ for the current maximum codingunit. A minimum unit according to an exemplary embodiment may be arectangular data unit obtained by splitting a minimum coding unit 980 by4. By performing the encoding repeatedly, the video encoding apparatus100 may select a depth having the least encoding error by comparingencoding errors according to depths of the coding unit 900 to determinea coded depth, and set a corresponding partition type and a predictionmode as an encoding mode of the coded depth.

As such, the minimum encoding errors according to depths are compared inall of the depths of 1 through d, and a depth having the least encodingerror may be determined as a coded depth. The coded depth, the partitiontype of the prediction unit, and the prediction mode may be encoded andtransmitted as information about an encoding mode. Also, since a codingunit is split from a depth of 0 to a coded depth, only split informationof the coded depth is set to 0, and split information of depthsexcluding the coded depth is set to 1.

The image data and encoding information extractor 220 of the videodecoding apparatus 200 may extract and use the information about thecoded depth and the prediction unit of the coding unit 900 to decode thepartition 912. The video decoding apparatus 200 may determine a depth,in which split information is 0, as a coded depth by using splitinformation according to depths, and use information about an encodingmode of the corresponding depth for decoding.

FIGS. 10 through 12 are diagrams for describing a relationship betweencoding units 1010, prediction units 1060, and transformation units 1070,according to an exemplary embodiment.

The coding units 1010 in FIG. 10 are coding units having a treestructure, corresponding to coded depths determined by the videoencoding apparatus 100, in a maximum coding unit. The prediction units1060 in FIG. 11 are partitions of prediction units of each of the codingunits 1010, and the transformation units 1070 in FIG. 12 aretransformation units of each of the coding units 1010.

When a depth of a maximum coding unit is 0 in the coding units 1010,depths of coding units 1012 and 1054 are 1, depths of coding units 1014,1016, 1018, 1028, 1050, and 1052 are 2, depths of coding units 1020,1022, 1024, 1026, 1030, 1032, and 1048 are 3, and depths of coding units1040, 1042, 1044, and 1046 are 4.

In the prediction units 1060, some coding units 1014, 1016, 1022, 1032,1048, 1050, 1052, and 1054 are obtained by splitting the coding units inthe coding units 1010. In other words, partition types in the codingunits 1014, 1022, 1050, and 1054 have a size of 2N×N, partition types inthe coding units 1016, 1048, and 1052 have a size of N×2N, and apartition type of the coding unit 1032 has a size of N×N. Predictionunits and partitions of the coding units 1010 are smaller than or equalto each coding unit.

Transformation or inverse transformation is performed on image data ofthe coding unit 1052 in the transformation units 1070 in a data unitthat is smaller than the coding unit 1052. Also, the coding units 1014,1016, 1022, 1032, 1048, 1050, and 1052 in the transformation units 1070are different from those in the prediction units 1060 in terms of sizesand shapes. In other words, the video encoding and decoding apparatuses100 and 200 may perform intra prediction, motion estimation, motioncompensation, transformation, and inverse transformation individually ona data unit in the same coding unit.

Transformation index information according to an exemplary embodimentmay present information regarding a structure of a transformation unitused to transform a current coding unit. For example, the transformationindex information according to an exemplary embodiment may includeinformation regarding the number of times splitting is performed fromthe current coding unit to a last level transformation unit and a sizeand format of a transformation unit. Information regarding an encodingmode according to an exemplary embodiment, i.e. encoding information,may include information regarding various methods used to encode thecurrent coding unit, etc. and the transformation index information.

Transformation index information according to an exemplary embodimentmay represent whether a current transformation unit is split into lowerlevel transformation units. For example, a transformation unit split bitindicating whether the current transformation unit is split into thelower level transformation units may be used as the transformation indexinformation according to an exemplary embodiment.

Transformation index information according to an exemplary embodimentmay represent whether a current coding unit is split into uniform sizetransformation units. For example, the transformation index informationaccording to an exemplary embodiment may represent whether a height andwidth of the current coding unit is halved once and split into fourtransformation units or is halved twice and split into sixteentransformation units. More specifically, the transformation indexinformation according to an exemplary embodiment may represent thenumber of powers of 4 of the same size transformation units that aresplit from the current coding unit.

Transformation index information according to another exemplaryembodiment may represent whether a current coding unit is split intovarious size transformation units according to a tree structure. Forexample, the transformation index information according to anotherexemplary embodiment may be expressed as a bit string of transformationunit split bits of each level transformation unit, arranged according tolevels from the current coding unit to split into transformation unitsaccording to the tree structure. The transformation index informationaccording to another exemplary embodiment may include a bit string oftransformation unit split units of the same level transformation unit ina zigzag scanning order of each transformation unit. Furthermore, when apredetermined transformation unit is split into lower leveltransformation units of a hierarchical structure, the transformationindex information according to another exemplary embodiment may includea bit string of transformation unit split units of the lower leveltransformation units in a zigzag scanning order of each lower leveltransformation unit.

Accordingly, encoding is recursively performed on each of coding unitshaving a hierarchical structure in each region of a maximum coding unitto determine an optimum coding unit, and thus coding units having arecursive tree structure may be obtained. Encoding information mayinclude split information about a coding unit, information about apartition type, information about a prediction mode, and informationabout a size of a transformation unit. Table 1 shows the encodinginformation that may be set by the video encoding and decodingapparatuses 100 and 200.

TABLE 1 Split Information 0 (Encoding on Coding Unit having Size of 2N ×2N and Current Depth of d) Size of Transformation Unit Split SplitPartition Type Information 0 Information 1 Symmetrical Asymmetrical ofof Prediction Partition Partition Transformation Transformation SplitMode Type Type Unit Unit Information 1 Intra 2N × 2N 2N × nU 2N × 2N N ×N Repeatedly Inter 2N × N 2N × nD (Symmetrical Encode Skip  N × 2N nL ×2N Type) Coding Units (Only  N × N nR × 2N N/2 × N/2 having Lower 2N ×2N) (Asymmetrical Depth of d + 1 Type)

The output unit 130 of the video encoding apparatus 100 may output theencoding information about the coding units having a tree structure, andthe image data and encoding information extractor 220 of the videodecoding apparatus 200 may extract the encoding information about thecoding units having a tree structure from a received bitstream.

Split information indicates whether a current coding unit is split intocoding units of a lower depth. If split information of a current depth dis 0, a depth, in which a current coding unit is no longer split into alower depth, is a coded depth, and thus information about a partitiontype, prediction mode, and a size of a transformation unit may bedefined for the coded depth. If the current coding unit is further splitaccording to the split information, encoding is independently performedon four split coding units of a lower depth.

A prediction mode may be one of an intra mode, an inter mode, and a skipmode. The intra mode and the inter mode may be defined in all partitiontypes, and the skip mode is defined only in a partition type having asize of 2N×2N.

The information about the partition type may indicate symmetricalpartition types having sizes of 2N×2N, 2N×N, N×2N, and N×N, which areobtained by symmetrically splitting a height or a width of a predictionunit, and asymmetrical partition types having sizes of 2N×nU, 2N×nD,nL×2N, and nR×2N, which are obtained by asymmetrically splitting theheight or width of the prediction unit. The asymmetrical partition typeshaving the sizes of 2N×nU and 2N×nD may be respectively obtained bysplitting the height of the prediction unit in 1:3 and 3:1, and theasymmetrical partition types having the sizes of nL×2N and nR×2N may berespectively obtained by splitting the width of the prediction unit in1:3 and 3:1

The size of the transformation unit may be set to be two types in theintra mode and two types in the inter mode. In other words, if splitinformation of the transformation unit is 0, the size of thetransformation unit may be 2N×2N, which is the size of the currentcoding unit. If split information of the transformation unit is 1, thetransformation units may be obtained by splitting the current codingunit. Also, if a partition type of the current coding unit having thesize of 2N×2N is a symmetrical partition type, a size of atransformation unit may be N×N, and if the partition type of the currentcoding unit is an asymmetrical partition type, the size of thetransformation unit may be N/2×N/2.

The encoding information about coding units having a tree structure mayinclude at least one of a coding unit corresponding to a coded depth, aprediction unit, and a minimum unit. The coding unit corresponding tothe coded depth may include at least one of a prediction unit and aminimum unit containing the same encoding information.

Accordingly, it is determined whether adjacent data units are includedin the same coding unit corresponding to the coded depth by comparingencoding information of the adjacent data units. Also, a correspondingcoding unit corresponding to a coded depth is determined by usingencoding information of a data unit, and thus a distribution of codeddepths in a maximum coding unit may be determined.

Accordingly, if a current coding unit is predicted based on encodinginformation of adjacent data units, encoding information of data unitsin deeper coding units adjacent to the current coding unit may bedirectly referred to and used.

Alternatively, if a current coding unit is predicted based on encodinginformation of adjacent data units, data units adjacent to the currentcoding unit are searched using encoded information of the data units,and the searched adjacent coding units may be referred for predictingthe current coding unit.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for describing a relationship between a codingunit, a prediction unit or a partition, and a transformation unit,according to encoding mode information of Table 1.

A maximum coding unit 1300 includes coding units 1302, 1304, 1306, 1312,1314, 1316, and 1318 of coded depths. Here, since the coding unit 1318is a coding unit of a coded depth, split information may be set to 0.Information about a partition type of the coding unit 1318 having a sizeof 2N×2N may be set to be one of a partition type 1322 having a size of2N×2N, a partition type 1324 having a size of 2N×N, a partition type1326 having a size of N×2N, a partition type 1328 having a size of N×N,a partition type 1332 having a size of 2N×nU, a partition type 1334having a size of 2N×nD, a partition type 1336 having a size of nL×2N,and a partition type 1338 having a size of nR×2N.

Split information (TU size flag) of a transformation unit is one oftransformation indices according to an exemplary embodiment. A size ofthe split information (TU size flag) of a transformation unitcorresponding to a transformation index may depend on a prediction unittype of a coding unit or a partition type of the coding unit and aprediction type of the prediction unit or the partition.

For example, when the partition type is set to be symmetrical, i.e. thepartition type 1322, 1324, 1326, or 1328, a transformation unit 1342having a size of 2N×2N is set if the split information (TU size flag) ofa transformation unit is 0, and a transformation unit 1344 having a sizeof N×N is set if a TU size flag is 1.

When the partition type is set to be asymmetrical, i.e., the partitiontype 1332, 1334, 1336, or 1338, a transformation unit 1352 having a sizeof 2N×2N is set if a TU size flag is 0, and a transformation unit 1354having a size of N/2×N/2 is set if a TU size flag is 1.

Referring to FIG. 13, the TU size flag is a flag having a value or 0 or1, but the TU size flag is not limited to 1 bit, and a transformationunit may be hierarchically split having a tree structure while the TUsize flag increases from 0.

In this case, the size of a transformation unit that has been actuallyused may be expressed by using a TU size flag of a transformation unit,according to an exemplary embodiment, together with a maximum size andminimum size of the transformation unit. According to an exemplaryembodiment, the video encoding apparatus 100 is capable of encodingmaximum transformation unit size information, minimum transformationunit size information, and a maximum TU size flag. The result ofencoding the maximum transformation unit size information, the minimumtransformation unit size information, and the maximum TU size flag maybe inserted into an SPS. According to an exemplary embodiment, the videodecoding apparatus 200 may decode video by using the maximumtransformation unit size information, the minimum transformation unitsize information, and the maximum TU size flag.

For example, if the size of a current coding unit is 64×64 and a maximumtransformation unit size is 32×32, then the size of a transformationunit may be 32×32 when a TU size flag is 0, may be 16×16 when the TUsize flag is 1, and may be 8×8 when the TU size flag is 2.

As another example, if the size of the current coding unit is 32×32 anda minimum transformation unit size is 32×32, then the size of thetransformation unit may be 32×32 when the TU size flag is 0. Here, theTU size flag cannot be set to a value other than 0, since the size ofthe transformation unit cannot be less than 32×32.

As another example, if the size of the current coding unit is 64×64 anda maximum TU size flag is 1, then the TU size flag may be 0 or 1. Here,the TU size flag cannot be set to a value other than 0 or 1.

Thus, if it is defined that the maximum TU size flag is‘MaxTransformSizeIndex’, a minimum transformation unit size is‘MinTransformSize’, and a transformation unit size is ‘RootTuSize’ whenthe TU size flag is 0, then a current minimum transformation unit size‘CurrMinTuSize’ that can be determined in a current coding unit, may bedefined by Equation (1):

CurrMinTuSize=max(MinTransformSize,RootTuSize/(2̂MaxTransformSizeIndex))  Equation(1)

Compared to the current minimum transformation unit size ‘CurrMinTuSize’that can be determined in the current coding unit, a transformation unitsize ‘RootTuSize’ when the TU size flag is 0 may denote a maximumtransformation unit size that can be selected in the system. In Equation(1), ‘RootTuSize/(2̂MaxTransformSizeIndex)’ denotes a transformation unitsize when the transformation unit size ‘RootTuSize’, when the TU sizeflag is 0, is split a number of times corresponding to the maximum TUsize flag, and ‘MinTransformSize’ denotes a minimum transformation size.Thus, a smaller value from among ‘RootTuSize/(2̂MaxTransformSizeIndex)’and ‘MinTransformSize’ may be the current minimum transformation unitsize ‘CurrMinTuSize’ that can be determined in the current coding unit.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the maximum transformation unitsize RootTuSize may vary according to the type of a prediction mode.

For example, if a current prediction mode is an inter mode, then‘RootTuSize’ may be determined by using Equation (2) below. In Equation(2), ‘MaxTransformSize’ denotes a maximum transformation unit size, and‘PUSize’ denotes a current prediction unit size.

RootTuSize=min(MaxTransformSize,PUSize)  Equation (2)

That is, if the current prediction mode is the inter mode, thetransformation unit size ‘RootTuSize’ when the TU size flag is 0, may bea smaller value from among the maximum transformation unit size and thecurrent prediction unit size.

If a prediction mode of a current partition unit is an intra mode,‘RootTuSize’ may be determined by using Equation (3) below. In Equation(3), ‘PartitionSize’ denotes the size of the current partition unit.

RootTuSize=min(MaxTransformSize,PartitionSize)  Equation (3)

That is, if the current prediction mode is the intra mode, thetransformation unit size ‘RootTuSize’ when the TU size flag is 0 may bea smaller value from among the maximum transformation unit size and thesize of the current partition unit.

However, the current maximum transformation unit size ‘RootTuSize’ thatvaries according to the type of a prediction mode in a partition unit isjust an example and is not limited thereto.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method of encoding a video,according to an exemplary embodiment.

In operation 1210, a current picture is split into at least one maximumcoding unit. A maximum depth indicating the total number of possiblesplitting times may be predetermined.

In operation 1220, a coded depth to output a final encoding resultaccording to at least one split region, which is obtained by splitting aregion of each maximum coding unit according to depths, is determined byencoding the at least one split region, and a coding unit according to atree structure is determined.

The maximum coding unit is spatially split whenever the depth deepens,and thus is split into coding units of a lower depth. Each coding unitmay be split into coding units of another lower depth by being spatiallysplit independently from adjacent coding units. Encoding is repeatedlyperformed on each coding unit according to depths.

Also, a transformation unit according to partition types having theleast encoding error is determined for each deeper coding unit. In orderto determine a coded depth having a minimum encoding error in eachmaximum coding unit, encoding errors may be measured and compared in alldeeper coding units according to depths.

In operation 1230, encoded image data constituting the final encodingresult according to the coded depth is output for each maximum codingunit, with encoding information about the coded depth and an encodingmode. The information about the encoding mode may include informationabout a coded depth or split information, information about a partitiontype of a prediction unit, a prediction mode, and a size of atransformation unit. The encoded information about the encoding mode maybe transmitted to a decoder with the encoded image data.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of decoding a video,according to an exemplary embodiment.

In operation 1310, a bitstream of an encoded video is received andparsed.

In operation 1320, encoded image data of a current picture assigned to amaximum coding unit, and information about a coded depth and an encodingmode according to maximum coding units are extracted from the parsedbitstream. The coded depth of each maximum coding unit is a depth havingthe least encoding error in each maximum coding unit. In encoding eachmaximum coding unit, the image data is encoded based on at least onedata unit obtained by hierarchically splitting the each maximum codingunit according to depths.

According to the information about the coded depth and the encodingmode, the maximum coding unit may be split into coding units having atree structure. Each of the coding units having the tree structure isdetermined as a coding unit corresponding to a coded depth, and isoptimally encoded as to output the least encoding error. Accordingly,encoding and decoding efficiency of an image may be improved by decodingeach piece of encoded image data in the coding units after determiningat least one coded depth according to coding units.

In operation 1330, the image data of each maximum coding unit is decodedbased on the information about the coded depth and the encoding modeaccording to the maximum coding units. The decoded image data may bereproduced by a reproducing apparatus, stored in a storage medium, ortransmitted through a network.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a video encoding apparatus 1400 usingpattern information of a hierarchical data unit, according to anexemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 16, the video encoding apparatus 1400 includes amaximum coding unit splitter 1410, a coding unit and encoding modedeterminer 1420, and an output unit 1430. The video encoding apparatus1400, which is configured to consider skip and split orders, is anembodiment of the video encoding apparatus 100. The maximum coding unitsplitter 110, the coding unit determiner 120, and the output unit 130 ofthe video encoding apparatus 100 may correspond to the maximum codingunit splitter 1410, the coding unit and encoding mode determiner 1420,and the output unit 1430, respectively.

The maximum coding unit splitter 1410 splits a picture of input videointo maximum coding units of predetermined sizes, and outputs video datafor each maximum coding unit to the coding unit and encoding modedeterminer 1420.

The coding unit and encoding mode determiner 1420 hierarchically splitsregions of the maximum coding units input from the maximum coding unitsplitter 1410 according to depths, and independently performs encodingon each hierarchically split region based on deeper coding unitsaccording to depths corresponding to the number of times splitting isperformed.

Furthermore, the encoding based on a deeper coding unit of a depth isaccompanied by prediction based on prediction units having formats andsizes smaller than or equal to the deeper coding unit of the depth, andtransformation based on transformation units of all sizes smaller thanor equal to the deeper coding unit of the depth.

Therefore, the coding unit and encoding mode determiner 1420 maydetermine at least one coded depth to output encoding video data and apartition type of a coding unit of the at least one coded depth, aprediction mode, and a size of a transformation unit. Informationregarding the coding unit of the determined coded depth may bedetermined as information regarding encoding modes.

The coding unit and encoding mode determiner 1420 may encode video databased on the deeper coding units according to depths and search for acoded depth having fewest encoding errors between the video data andoriginal video data and a encoding mode related to the coded depth, inorder to determine a coded depth to output encoded video data for eachindependent region of the maximum coding unit and an encoding moderelated to the coded depth. Accordingly, the coding unit and encodingmode determiner 1420 may determine coding units having a tree structureincluding coding units of coded depths for every maximum coding unit.

Information regarding the coded depth and the encoding mode related tothe coded depth determined by the coding unit and encoding modedeterminer 1420, and corresponding encoded video data are output to theoutput unit 1430.

The output unit 1430 outputs pattern information for each maximum codingunit, the information regarding the coded depth and the encoding moderelated to the coded depth, and the encoded video data. Also, the outputunit 1430 may output information regarding a maximum size of codingunits.

The output unit 1430 may set whether to output texture relatedinformation of a coding unit based on the pattern information. Thetexture related information includes a transformation coefficient of acorresponding data unit and an index and quantization parameter of atransformation unit. When at least a non-zero coefficient of a data unitexits, texture related information of the data unit may be encoded.

The pattern information may include hierarchical coding unit patterninformation, maximum coding unit pattern information, and coding unitpattern information that are set based on a hierarchical structure of acoding unit and a corresponding maximum coding unit.

The hierarchical coding unit pattern information indicates whether thetexture related information and the coding unit pattern informationregarding a transformation unit of a lower transformation depth areencoded. The hierarchical coding unit pattern information ishierarchically set from a coding unit of a coded depth of a currentmaximum coding unit to a final transformation unit of an encoding mode.

A transformation unit of a current transformation depth includes fourtransformation units of a lower transformation depth, and thuscorresponding hierarchical coding unit pattern information for eachtransformation depth recursively determines whether to encodetransformation texture related information and coding unit patterninformation of the four lower transformation depths.

The output unit 1430 may set hierarchical coding unit patterninformation of a current transformation unit as 1 when texture relatedinformation and coding unit pattern information of the transformationunit of the current transformation depth are not encoded, and codingunit pattern information of the transformation unit of the lowertransformation depth is encoded.

However, when an encoding mode of the current transformation depth is afinal transformation depth, and texture related information based on thecurrent transformation unit exists, the output unit 1430 may set thehierarchical coding unit pattern information of the currenttransformation unit as 1.

The output unit 1430 may also set the hierarchical coding unit patterninformation of the current transformation unit as 0 when the texturerelated information and the coding unit pattern information of thetransformation unit of the current transformation depth are encoded, andthe coding unit pattern information of the transformation unit of thelower transformation depth is not encoded.

The output unit 1430 may output coding unit pattern informationindicating whether texture related information regarding atransformation unit of the final transformation depth according to theencoding modes is encoded.

The maximum coding unit pattern information indicates whether texturerelated information of the current maximum coding unit is encoded. Theoutput unit 1430 may set whether to output hierarchical coding unitpattern information of coding units of coded depths of the maximumcoding units by using the maximum coding unit pattern information.

For example, if no texture information of the maximum coding unitsexists, maximum coding unit pattern information of a correspondingmaximum coding unit is set as 0, and it is unnecessary to output codingunit pattern information, hierarchical coding unit pattern information,and texture related information of coding units of lower depths.However, if texture information of the maximum coding units exists, themaximum coding unit pattern information of the corresponding maximumcoding unit is set as 1, and the output coding unit pattern information,hierarchical coding unit pattern information, and texture relatedinformation of coding units of lower depths may be set.

Therefore, the maximum coding unit pattern information, the hierarchicalcoding unit pattern information of coding units and transformationunits, and the coding unit pattern information may be output as patterninformation with respect to a single maximum coding unit.

The pattern information may be encoded for each color component and eachprediction mode.

Group pattern information may be encoded to indicate whether texturerelated information is encoded for color components. The group patterninformation may be set with respect to a combination of color componentsincluding at least one of the color components. That is, the grouppattern information may be encoded to indicate whether at least anon-zero coefficient of the color components belonging to thecombination of color components exists.

For example, the group pattern information may be set indicating whethertexture related information is encoded for the color components withrespect to at least one combination of a Y component, a Cr component,and a Cb component. More specifically, the group pattern information mayindicate whether texture related information is encoded for all colorcomponents of a luma component and chroma components. As anotherexample, the group pattern information may be set for texture relatedinformation for the color components of the chroma components excludingthe luma component.

Whether to encode the pattern information for each color component maybe determined based on the group pattern information. Furthermore, ifpattern information regarding a color component excluding the colorcomponents belonging to the combination of color components exists, thepattern information may be additionally encoded.

Density pattern information may be encoded according to a density oftransformation unit pattern information in order to skip redundant orunnecessary pattern information. As an example of the density patterninformation, single level pattern information or reverse patterninformation may be encoded.

The output unit 1430 may selectively determine whether to encodehierarchical pattern information according to hierarchical data unitsthat use the hierarchical coding unit pattern information, the codingunit pattern information, the maximum coding unit pattern information,etc. or whether to encode pattern information of a different way. Forexample, the output unit 1430 may determine whether to encode thehierarchical pattern information according to the hierarchical dataunits or the density pattern information, according to a coded depth ofa current coding unit.

The output unit 1430 may determine whether to encode the hierarchicalpattern information according to the hierarchical data units or thedensity pattern information, according to an encoding mode of a currentcoding unit. For example, the output unit 1430 may determine whether toencode the hierarchical pattern information with respect to a currentcoding unit or the density pattern information, based on at least one ofa color component such as a luma component or a chroma component ofimage data of the current coding unit, a quantization parameter, aprediction mode such as an inter mode or an intra mode, a slice typesuch as an I type, a P type, or a B type, a prediction mode of the intermode such as a bidirectional prediction or a unidirectional prediction,among encoding modes of the current coding unit.

The output unit 1430 may encode pattern information type informationindicating whether the hierarchical pattern information according to thehierarchical data units or the density pattern information has beenencoded as pattern information of the current coding unit. For example,the pattern information type information may be encoded in the form of aflag indicating that the pattern information has not been encoded byusing the hierarchical pattern information.

Another piece of pattern information type information may be expressedas an index indicating various pieces of pattern information, such asthe hierarchical pattern information, the group pattern information foreach color component, the single level pattern information, reversepattern information, etc.

Therefore, the output unit 1430 may output texture information ofencoded data based on hierarchically set pattern information accordingto the maximum coding units, the coding units, and the transformationunits by inserting the texture information into a transfer bitstream.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a video decoding apparatus 1500 usingpattern information of a hierarchical data unit, according to anexemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 17, the video decoding apparatus 1500, which isconfigured to consider skip and split orders, includes a receiver 1510,a data extractor 1520, and a decoder 1530. The video decoding apparatus1500, which is configured to consider skip and split orders, is anembodiment of the video decoding apparatus 200. The receiver 210, theimage data and encoding information extractor 220, and the image datadecoder 230 of the video decoding apparatus 200 may correspond to thereceiver 1510, the data extractor 1520, and the decoder 1530 of thevideo decoding apparatus 1500.

The receiver 1510 receives and parses a bitstream of an encoded video.

The data extractor 1520 receives the parsed bitstream from the receiver1510 and extracts encoding information related to a coded depth and anencoding mode for each maximum coding unit and encoded video data fromthe bitstream. Also, the data extractor 1520 may extract informationregarding a maximum size of coding units from the bitstream.

In particular, the data extractor 1520 may extract pattern informationfrom the parsed bitstream from the receiver 1510, and extract texturerelated information from video data encoded based on the patterninformation.

The data extractor 1520 may extract hierarchical coding unit patterninformation, coding unit pattern information, and maximum coding unitpattern information as the pattern information.

First, when the data extractor 1520 extracts the coding unit patterninformation, the data extractor 1520 may determine whether to extracttexture related information with respect to a correspondingtransformation unit based on the coding unit pattern information. Thetexture related information includes transformation coefficients of thecorresponding transformation unit, an index of a transformation unit,and a quantization parameter, etc.

When the data extractor 1520 extracts the hierarchical coding unitpattern information, the data extractor 1520 may determine whether tohierarchically extract texture related information and the coding unitpattern information of a transformation unit of a lower transformationdepth based on the hierarchical coding unit pattern information.

The data extractor 1520 may determine whether to extract the coding unitpattern information and the texture related information of thetransformation unit of the lower transformation depth, based on thehierarchical coding unit pattern information, recursively from a currentcoding unit to a transformation unit according to encoding modes.

If the hierarchical coding unit pattern information is 1, the dataextractor 1520 may not extract texture related information and codingunit pattern information of a transformation unit of a currenttransformation depth, but may extract the coding unit patterninformation of the transformation unit of the lower transformationdepth. However, if the current transformation depth is a finaltransformation depth and the hierarchical coding unit patterninformation is 1, the data extractor 1520 may extract texture relatedinformation based on a current transformation unit.

If the hierarchical coding unit pattern information is 0, the dataextractor 1520 may extract the texture related information and codingunit pattern information of the transformation unit of the currenttransformation depth, but may not necessarily extract the coding unitpattern information of the transformation unit of the lowertransformation depth.

When the data extractor 1520 extracts the maximum coding unit patterninformation, the data extractor 1520 may determine whether to extractthe hierarchical coding unit pattern information of coding units ofcoded depths of maximum coding units based on the maximum coding unitpattern information.

For example, if the maximum coding unit pattern information is 1, thedata extractor 1520 may determine whether to extract the hierarchicalcoding unit pattern information of coding units of coded depths ofmaximum coding units. If the maximum coding unit pattern information is0, the data extractor 1520 does not extract texture related informationof a corresponding maximum coding unit.

The data extractor 1520 may not extract transformation index informationif pattern information of a transformation unit having a highesttransformation depth of 0 is 0. If the pattern information of thetransformation unit having the highest transformation depth of 0 is not0, the data extractor 1520 may extract transformation index informationfrom encoding mode information of a current coding unit, andtransformation unit pattern information for each transformation depth.

The data extractor 1520 may extract pattern information for each colorcomponent or pattern information for each prediction mode.

The data extractor 1520 may determine whether at least a non-zerocoefficient for each color component of a current data unit exits byreading group pattern information, and determine whether to extractpattern information for each color component. The data extractor 1520may determine whether at least a non-zero coefficient for each colorcomponent of at least one color component belonging to a color componentcombination exists by reading the group pattern information, anddetermine whether to extract pattern information for each colorcomponent belonging to the color component combination.

For example, the data extractor 1520 may analyze whether at least anon-zero coefficient for each color component with respect to at leastone combination of a Y component, a Cr component, and a Cb componentexists, based on the group pattern information. More specifically, thedata extractor 1520 may determine whether at least a non-zerocoefficient for each color component with respect to all colorcomponents of a luma component and chroma components exists based on thegroup pattern information. As another example, the data extractor 1520may determine whether the non-zero coefficient for each color componentwith respect to color components of the chroma components, other thanthe luma component, exists, based on the group pattern information.

The data extractor 1520 may determine whether to extract patterninformation for each color component belonging to a color componentcombination based on the group pattern information, and additionallyextract pattern information for a color component excluding the colorcomponents belonging to the color component combination if such a colorcomponent exists.

The data extractor 1520 may extract density pattern information fromwhich redundant or unnecessary pattern information is omitted, accordingto density of transformation unit pattern information.

The data extractor 1520 may extract in another way hierarchical patterninformation according to a hierarchical data unit or patterninformation. For example, the data extractor 1520 may extracthierarchical pattern information or density pattern information that isselectively encoded according to a coded depth of a current coding unit.

The data extractor 1520 may extract hierarchical pattern informationaccording to a hierarchical data unit or density pattern informationthat is selectively encoded according to an encoding mode of a currentcoding unit. For example, the data extractor 1520 may extract patterninformation of the current coding unit that is selectively encoded asthe hierarchical pattern information or the density pattern information,based on at least one of a color component, a quantization parameter, aprediction mode, a slice type, and a prediction direction of an intermode among encoding modes of the current coding unit.

The data extractor 1520 may extract pattern information type informationindicating whether the hierarchical pattern information according to thehierarchical data unit or the density pattern information has beenencoded. For example, the data extractor 1520 may determine whetherpattern information of a current coding unit is the hierarchical patterninformation or the density pattern information by reading patterninformation type information that is in the form of a flag indicatingwhether current pattern information is the hierarchical patterninformation.

Alternatively, whether the extracted pattern information is one ofvarious pieces of pattern information, such as the hierarchical patterninformation, the group pattern information for each color component, thesingle level pattern information, and the reverse pattern information byreading pattern information type information expressed in an indexindicating various pieces of pattern information.

The decoder 1530 receives the encoding mode information and the encodedvideo data from the data extractor 1520, and decodes the encoded videodata of a picture for each coding unit of at least one coded depth amongcoding units having a tree structure, based on information regarding thecoded depths and the encoding modes.

The decoded and restored video data may be transmitted to various typesof reproducible terminals or storage devices.

The video encoding apparatus 1400 using the pattern information of thehierarchical data unit according to an exemplary embodiment and thevideo decoding apparatus 1500 using the pattern information of thehierarchical data unit according to an exemplary embodiment maydetermine data units to be applied to the pattern information based onthe density of the coding unit pattern information. For example, if thecoding unit pattern information is not dense, the maximum coding unitpattern information of a maximum coding unit level is used to improve abit rate. However, if the coding unit pattern information is dense, themaximum coding unit pattern information may not be used to improve thebit rate. Therefore, a data unit of the pattern information isselectively adjusted, thereby increasing transmission efficiency of abitstream.

Various pieces of pattern information of hierarchical data unitsaccording to exemplary embodiments will now be described with referenceto FIGS. 18 through 26.

FIG. 18 illustrates a hierarchical structure of a maximum coding unit1610 and coding units 1620, 1622, 1624, and 1626 of a coding depth,according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 18, to describe pattern information, the maximumcoding unit 1610 includes the coding units 1620, 1622, 1624, and 1626 ofthe coded depth 1. A first embodiment in which maximum coding unitpattern information is not used and a second embodiment in which themaximum coding unit pattern information is used will now be describedbelow.

First, it is assumed that the maximum coding unit 1610 has notransformation coefficient (hereinafter, referred to as “case 1”).

In the first embodiment, pattern information with respect to the codingunits 1620, 1622, 1624, and 1626 may be encoded, whereas patterninformation with respect to the maximum coding unit 1610 is not encoded.That is, coding unit pattern information of a transformation unit of atransformation depth 0 may be encoded with respect to each of the codingunits 1620, 1622, 1624, and 1626. Therefore, the pattern information ofthe first embodiment for the case 1 may be output as four bits “0000”.

In the second embodiment for the case 1, the maximum coding unit patterninformation is encoded as “0” with respect to the maximum coding unit1610, and the pattern information may not be necessarily set withrespect to the coding units 1620, 1622, 1624, and 1626. Thus, thepattern information of the second embodiment for the case 1 may beoutput as one bit “0”.

Therefore, when the maximum coding unit 1610 has no transformationcoefficient, the maximum coding unit pattern information is used, whichis advantageous in terms of the bit rate.

Second, it is assumed that the maximum coding unit 1610 has atransformation coefficient, the coding units 1622 and 1626 have notransformation coefficient, and the coding units 1620 and 1624 havetransformation coefficients of a transformation unit of a transformationdepth 2 (hereinafter, referred to as “case 2”).

In the first embodiment, the pattern information regarding the codingunits 1620, 1622, 1624, and 1626, without encoding the patterninformation with respect to the maximum coding unit 1610, includes:

hierarchical coding unit pattern information “1” of the coding units1620, 1622, 1624, and 1626 of a coded depth 1;

regarding the coding unit 1620, hierarchical coding unit patterninformation “1” of a transformation unit of a transformation depth 0,hierarchical coding unit pattern information “1” and coding unit patterninformation “1100” of transformation units of a transformation depth 1;

regarding the coding unit 1622, hierarchical coding unit patterninformation “0” of the transformation unit of the transformation depth0;

regarding the coding unit 1624, hierarchical coding unit patterninformation “1” of the transformation unit of the transformation depth0, hierarchical coding unit pattern information “1” coding unit patterninformation “1110” of transformation units of the transformation depth1; and regarding the coding unit 1626, hierarchical coding unit patterninformation “0” of the transformation unit of the transformation depth 0may be set.

Thus, the pattern information of the first embodiment for the case 1 maybe output as fourteen bits “1 1 1 1100 0 1 1110 0”.

In the second embodiment, the maximum coding unit pattern information isencoded as “1” with respect to the maximum coding unit 1610, and as thepattern information with respect to the coding units 1620, 1622, 1624,and 1626; Hierarchical coding unit pattern information “1” of the codingunits 1620, 1622, 1624, and 1626 of the depth 1;

regarding the coding unit 1620, hierarchical coding unit patterninformation “1” of the transformation unit of the transformation depth0;

regarding the coding unit 1622, hierarchical coding unit patterninformation “1” of the transformation depth 1 and coding unit patterninformation “1100”, hierarchical coding unit pattern information “0” ofthe transformation unit of the transformation depth 0;

regarding the coding unit 1624, hierarchical coding unit patterninformation “1” of the transformation unit of the transformation depth0; and

regarding the coding unit 1626, hierarchical coding unit patterninformation “1” of the transformation depth 1 and coding unit patterninformation “1110”, and hierarchical coding unit pattern information “0”of the transformation unit of the transformation depth 0 may be set.

Thus, the pattern information of the second embodiment for the case 2may be output as fifteen bits “1 1 1 1 1100 0 1 1110 0”.

Therefore, when the coding unit pattern information is dense within themaximum coding unit, the maximum coding unit pattern information is notused, which is advantageous in terms of the bit rate.

The video encoding apparatus 1400 using the pattern information of thehierarchical data unit according to an exemplary embodiment may adjust alevel of a data unit applied to the pattern information by analyzing adensity of the coding unit pattern information of the maximum codingunit. Although the maximum coding unit pattern information is describedabove, the present invention is not limited thereto and may be appliedto a coding unit of a predetermined depth within the maximum coding unitand a predetermined data unit such as a plurality of maximum coding unitgroups.

FIGS. 19, 20, and 21 are flowcharts of encoding processes using grouppattern information, according to exemplary embodiments.

The output unit 1430 of the video encoding apparatus 1400 may encodepattern information for each color component of video data. For example,luma pattern information with respect to a data unit of a luma componentcoefficient, Cb pattern information with respect to a data unit of a Cbcomponent coefficient, and Cr pattern information with respect to a dataunit of a Cr component coefficient may be encoded.

The output unit 1430 may encode the pattern information for each colorcomponent after encoding group pattern information with respect to videodata for each color component of a single data unit.

Referring to FIG. 19, in operation 1910, the group pattern information(group CBF) may be set with respect to video data of a luma component, aCb component, and a Cr component of a current data unit. In operation1910, if the group pattern information is set as 0, an operation forsetting the pattern information with respect to the current data unitends, and, if the group pattern information is set as 1, luma patterninformation (luma CBF), Cb pattern information (Cb CBF), and Cr patterninformation (Cr pattern information) for each color component may be setin operations 1920, 1930, and 1940, respectively.

In operation 1920, if the luma pattern information (luma CBF) is set as1, a luma component coefficient is encoded in operation 1925, and, ifthe luma pattern information (luma CBF) is set as 0, operation 1925 maybe skipped. Similarly, in operation 1930, if the Cb pattern information(Cb CBF) is set as 1, a Cb component coefficient is encoded in operation1935, and, if the Cb pattern information (Cb CBF) is set as 0, operation1935 may be skipped. Similarly, in operation 1940, if the Cr patterninformation (Cr pattern information) is set as 1, a Cr componentcoefficient is encoded in operation 1945, and, if the Cr patterninformation (Cr pattern information) is set as 0, operation 1945 may beskipped.

Referring to FIGS. 20A and 20B, the luma pattern information (luma CBF)is separately set with respect to the luma component coefficient of thecurrent data unit (flowchart 2000 in FIG. 20A), and the group patterninformation may be set with respect to chroma component coefficients,i.e. the Cb component coefficient and the Cr component coefficient(flowchart 2020 in FIG. 20B).

In operation 2010, if the luma pattern information (luma CBF) is set as1 with respect to the luma component coefficient of the current dataunit, the luma component coefficient is encoded in operation 2015, andif the luma pattern information (luma CBF) is set as 0, operation 2015may be skipped.

In operation 2030, the group pattern information may be set with respectto the video data of the Cb component and the Cr component of thecurrent data unit. In operation 2030, if the group pattern informationis set as 0, an operation of setting the pattern information withrespect to the current data unit ends, and operations for encoding theCb component coefficient and the Cr component coefficient end. Inoperation 2030, if the group pattern information is set as 1, the Cbpattern information (Cb CBF) and the Cr pattern information (Cr CBF) maybe encoded in operations 2045 and 2055, respectively.

In operation 2040 (or operation 2050), if the Cb pattern information (CbCBF) (or the Cr pattern information (Cr CBF)) is set as 1, the Cbcomponent coefficient (or the Cr component coefficient) is encoded inoperation 2045 (or operation 2055), and, if the Cb pattern information(Cb CBF) (or the Cr pattern information (Cr CBF)) is set as 0, operation2045 (or operation 2055) may be skipped.

Referring to FIGS. 21A, 21B, and 21C, the luma pattern information (lumaCBF) of the current data unit may be separately set, and whether thegroup pattern information is set with respect to the chroma componentcoefficients of the current data unit may be determined according to aset value of the luma pattern information (luma CBF).

For example, if the set value of the luma pattern information (luma CBF)is 1, the group pattern information with respect to color components isnot encoded (flowcharts 2100 in FIG. 21A and 2120 in FIG. 21B), and ifthe set value of the luma pattern information (luma CBF) is 0, the grouppattern information with respect to the Cb component coefficient and theCr component coefficient may be encoded (flowchart 2140 in FIG. 21C).

More specifically, if the luma pattern information (luma CBF) is set as1 since the luma component coefficient that is not 0 exists in thecurrent data unit, in operation 2110, the Cb pattern information (CbCBF) may be set according to whether the Cb component efficient that isnot 0 exists, and in operation 2115, the Cb component coefficient thatis not 0 may be encoded. Likewise, in operation 2130, the Cr patterninformation (Cr CBF) may be set according to whether the Cr componentefficient that is not 0 exists, and in operation 2135, the Cr componentcoefficient that is not 0 may be encoded.

If the luma pattern information (luma CBF) is set as 0 since the lumacomponent coefficient that is not 0 does not exist in the current dataunit, in operation 2150, the group pattern information may be setaccording to whether the Cb component efficient and the Cr componentcoefficient that are not 0 exist in the current data unit. In operation2150, if the group pattern information is set as 0 since the Cbcomponent efficient and the Cr component coefficient that are not 0 donot exist, the operations for setting the Cb pattern information (CbCBF) and the Cr pattern information (Cr CBF) of the current data unitand the operations for encoding the Cb component coefficient and the Crcomponent coefficient end.

In operation 2150, the group pattern information is set as 1 since theCb component efficient and the Cr component coefficient that are not 0exist in the current data unit, the Cb component efficient and the Crcomponent coefficient may be encoded in operations 2160 and 2170,respectively. In operation 2160, the Cb pattern information (Cb CBF) isset according to whether the Cb component coefficient that is not 0exists, and in operation 2165, the Cb component coefficient that is not0 may be encoded. Likewise, in operation 2170, the Cr patterninformation (Cr CBF) is set according to whether the Cr componentcoefficient that is not 0 exists, and in operation 2175, the Crcomponent coefficient that is not 0 may be encoded.

Therefore, the data extractor 1520 of the video decoding apparatus 1500according to an exemplary embodiment may extract pattern information foreach color component of video data. The data extractor 1520 may alsoextract pattern information for each color component according to aresult of reading group pattern information with respect to the videodata for each color component of a single data unit.

The output unit 1430 of the video decoding unit 1400 according to anexemplary embodiment may output density pattern information in a formatfor improving a density of pattern information of a hierarchical dataunit.

FIGS. 22 and 23 are diagrams for comparing processes for encodinghierarchical data unit pattern information and single level patterninformation, according to exemplary embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 22 and 23, for descriptive convenience, it is assumedthat a transformation unit of an upper transformation depth is equallysplit into four transformation units of a lower transformation depthaccording to transformation depths. However, pattern information of thetransformation unit is not limited thereto, and the transformation unitof the upper transformation depth may be split into various types oftransformation units of the lower transformation depth.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart of the process for encoding the hierarchical dataunit pattern information, according to an exemplary embodiment. If atransformation unit is determined at a transformation depth n, patterninformation of transformation units from 0 to n must be set.

In more detail, in operation 2210, pattern information of atransformation unit of the transformation depth 0 is encoded. If thepattern information of a transformation unit of the transformation depth0 is 0, coefficients of the transformation unit are not encoded. If thepattern information of the transformation unit of the transformationdepth 0 is 1, pattern information of four transformation units of atransformation depth 1 that is split from the transformation unit of thetransformation depth 0 may be encoded in operations 2220, 2222, 2224,and 2226. In operations 2220, 2222, 2224, and 2226, whether to encodethe pattern information of the transformation unit of the lowertransformation depth may be determined based on the pattern informationof four transformation units of the transformation depth 1. As thetransformation depth increases, pattern information of transformationunits of the 2̂(2n) transformation depth n from 0 to 2″(2n)−1 may beencoded in operations 2230, 2232, 2234, and 2236.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart of the process for encoding the single levelpattern information, according to an exemplary embodiment. If atransformation unit according to a tree structure is determined at thetransformation depth n, the single level pattern information may beexpressed as pattern information of transformation units of thetransformation depth n. That is, the pattern information oftransformation units of the 2̂(2n) transformation depth n may be encodedas the single level pattern information in operations 2310, 2312, 2314,and 2316. Pattern information of a transformation unit of a generaltransformation depth, other than the transformation unit according tothe tree structure within a current coding unit, may be omitted by usingthe single level pattern information.

FIG. 24 is a diagram for describing a concept of reverse patterninformation, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 24, the reverse pattern information may be set withrespect to transformation units of coding units of an intra mode. Thereverse pattern information indicates set bit values in which set values0 and 1 of pattern information of transformation units according to atree structure of a current coding unit are reversed as 1 and 0,respectively.

Each of original coding units 2410, 2430, 2440, and 2460 are configuredto include transformation units of a transformation depth 1. Numbersindicated in the original coding units 2410, 2430, 2450, and 2470present pattern information of transformation units. Among thetransformation units of the original coding units 2410, 2430, 2450, and2470 of the intra mode, the pattern information may not predominantly be0.

Since the original coding unit 2410 includes transformation units havingpattern information 1, 0, 1, and 1, a coding unit 2420 having reversedpattern information of transformation units may include transformationunits having pattern information 0, 1, 0, and 0. That is, originalhierarchical pattern information (original CBF) of the coding unit 2410is encoded as “1” in a transformation depth 0 and “1011” in atransformation depth 1, whereas the reverse pattern information of thecoding unit 2420 may be encoded as “1” in the transformation depth 0 and“0100” in the transformation depth 1.

Since the original coding unit 2430 includes transformation units havingpattern information 1, 1, 1, and 1, the coding unit 2440 having reversedpattern information of transformation units may include transformationunits having pattern information 0, 0, 0, and 0. That is, originalhierarchical pattern information of the coding unit 2430 is encoded as“1” in the transformation depth 0 and “1111” in the transformation depth1, whereas the reverse pattern information of the coding unit 2440 maybe encoded as “0” in the transformation depth 0.

If an original coding unit 2450 includes transformation units havingpattern information 1, 0, 1, 1, original hierarchical patterninformation of the coding unit 2450 is encoded as “1” in thetransformation depth 0 and “1100” in the transformation depth 1, whereasthe coding unit 2460 having reversed pattern information of atransformation unit includes pattern information 0, 1, 0, 0 oftransformation units, and thus the reverse pattern information of thecoding unit 2460 may be encoded as “1” in the transformation depth 0 and“0011” in the transformation depth 1.

If an original coding unit 2470 includes transformation units havingpattern information 1, 1, 1, 1, original hierarchical patterninformation (original CBF) of the coding unit 2470 is encoded as “1” inthe transformation depth 0 and “1111” in the transformation depth 1,whereas the coding unit 2480 having reversed pattern information of atransformation unit includes pattern information 0, 0, 0, 0 oftransformation units, and thus reverse pattern information of a codingunit 2480 may be encoded as “0” in the transformation depth 0.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart of a process for encoding density patterninformation, according to exemplary embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 25, in operation 2510, if a predetermined condition issatisfied with respect to a current coding unit, in operation 2530, theoutput unit 1430 of the video encoding apparatus 1400 may encode thedensity pattern information with respect to the current coding unit. Forexample, the predetermined condition for encoding the density patterninformation may include a condition in which a prediction mode of thecurrent coding unit is an intra mode (or an inter mode), a condition inwhich a quantization parameter of the current coding unit is smallerthan a threshold value, a condition in which coefficients of the currentcoding unit are chroma component coefficients (or luma componentcoefficients), etc. The density pattern information may include singlelevel pattern information, reverse pattern information, etc.

In operation 2510, if the predetermined condition is not satisfied withrespect to the current coding unit, in operation 2530, the output unit1430 of the video encoding apparatus 1400 may encode pattern informationaccording to a hierarchical data unit with respect to the current codingunit. More specifically, hierarchical coding unit pattern information isencoded, and whether to hierarchically encode texture relatedinformation and coding unit pattern information with respect to atransformation unit of a lower transformation depth may be determinedbased on the hierarchical coding unit pattern information.

The density pattern information may have an advantage since a data unitis more likely dense with an inclusion of coefficients that is not 0when the data unit is predicted in the intra mode, includes the lumacomponent coefficients, or has the small quantization parameter.

Therefore, the data extractor 1520 of the video decoding apparatus 1500may extract density pattern information encoded according to apredetermined condition. Since an expression method of the densitypattern information is modified according to a predetermined rule, thedata extractor 1520 may extract coefficients of a corresponding dataunit by correctly reading the density pattern information according to apreviously defined rule.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a process for decodingtransformation index and pattern information, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 26, since transformation index information for acoding unit is valid only when a coefficient that is not 0 exists withinthe coding unit, the output unit 1430 of the video encoding apparatus1400 may encode the transformation index information of the coding unitincluding the coefficient that is not 0. Therefore, the data extractor1520 of the video decoding apparatus 1500 may parse pattern informationof a current coding unit in operation 2610. If the pattern informationis 0, an operation for decoding with respect to the current coding unitmay end without parsing the transformation index information. Inoperation 2610, if the parse pattern information of the current codingunit is 1, in operation 2620, the transformation index information maybe parsed among information regarding an encoding mode of the currentcoding unit.

In operation 2610, the data extractor 1520 parses pattern information ofa transformation unit of a transformation depth 0 that is identical tothe current coding unit. If the pattern information is 0, an operationof decoding with respect to the current coding unit may end withoutparsing the transformation index information of the current coding unit.In operation 2610, if the pattern information of the transformation unitof the transformation depth 0 is 1, in operation 2620, transformationindex information of the transformation unit may be parsed.

In operation 2620, if the transformation index information of thecurrent coding unit is 0, coefficients of the current coding unit may beparsed without splitting transformation units of a lower transformationdepth in operation 2630. The parsed coefficients may be decoded based onthe parsed coding information. In operation 2620, if the transformationindex information of the current coding unit is greater than 1, thetransformation unit of the transformation depth 0 is split intotransformation units of a transformation depth 1, and patterninformation of the transformation units of the transformation depth 1may be parsed in operations 2640, 2642, 2644, and 2646.

In operation 2650, if the transformation index information is smallerthan 2, i.e. if the transformation index information is 1, in operation2660, coefficients of the transformation unit of the transformationdepth 1 may be parsed. The parsed coefficients may be decoded based onthe parsed encoding information. In operation 2650, if thetransformation index information is greater than 2, i.e. if atransformation depth of a transformation unit is greater than 2, thetransformation unit of the transformation depth 1 is split into thetransformation units of the transformation depth 2, and patterninformation of the transformation units of the transformation depth 2may be parsed in operations 2670, 2672, 2674, and 2676.

Such a process may be repeatedly performed until each transformationunit arrives at a transformation depth according to the transformationindex information. Therefore, if the pattern information of thetransformation unit of the highest transformation depth 0 is 0 fromamong the pattern information of the transformation unit of the currentcoding unit, the transformation index information is parsed once inoperation 2620, whereas the pattern information of the transformationunit may be parsed for each transformation depth by each transformationdepth in operations 2610, 2640, 2642, 2644, 2646, 2670, 2672, 2674, and2676.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating a video encoding method usingpattern information of a hierarchical data unit, according to anexemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 27, in operation 2710, a picture is split into codingunits of predetermined maximum sizes.

In operation 2720, encoding that is accompanied by transformation isperformed based on at least one transformation unit of every coding unitfor at least one depth, for regions that are split and reduced accordingto depths, with respect to each maximum coding unit. As a result ofencoding, at least one coded depth having fewest coding errors and anencoding mode with respect to a coding unit of a coded depth includinginformation regarding sizes of the at least one transformation unit maybe selected. Accordingly, coding units having a tree structure may bedetermined with the coding units of coded depths and encoding modes.

In operation 2730, pattern information, information regarding a maximumsize of coding units, information regarding the encoding mode, andencoded video data for each of the maximum coding units are output.Whether to output texture information of the encoded video data may bedetermined based on the pattern information. The pattern information maybe set based on a hierarchical structure of the maximum coding units,the coding units, and transformation units according to the encodingmode, and may include hierarchical coding unit pattern information,maximum coding unit pattern information, and coding unit patterninformation.

The pattern information may further include group pattern informationwith respect to transformation units of coefficients for each colorcomponent, single level pattern information and reverse patterninformation having modified expression methods according to a density ofthe pattern information.

Whether to encode one of various pieces of pattern information such asthe hierarchical coding unit pattern information, the group patterninformation, the density pattern information, etc. may be determinedaccording to the coded depth of the current coding unit, the encodingmode, etc. Pattern information type information indicating whether oneof various pieces of pattern information has been encoded may beencoded.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a video decoding method usingpattern information of a hierarchical data unit, according to anexemplary embodiment.

In operation 2810, a bitstream of an encoded video is received andparsed.

In operation 2820, information regarding a maximum size of coding units,information regarding an encoding mode with respect to a coding unit ofat least one coded depth for each maximum coding unit, and patterninformation indicating whether texture related information for eachmaximum coding unit is encoded are extracted from the parsed bitstream.Furthermore, encoded video data for each maximum coding unit may beextracted from the parsed bitstream based on the information regardingthe encoding mode and the pattern information.

In particular, whether to extract texture information of atransformation unit may be determined of every coding unit for eachcoded depth of maximum coding units by using maximum coding unit patterninformation based on a hierarchical structure of the maximum codingunits, the coding units, and the transformation units, hierarchicalcoding unit pattern information, and coding unit pattern informationfrom among the pattern information. Pattern information with respect totransformation units of coefficients for each color component may beextracted based on group pattern information. An expression method ofsingle level pattern information or reverse pattern information must bechanged and read according to a density of the pattern information.

If transformation unit pattern information of a transformation depth 0is 0, transformation index information with respect to the currenttransformation unit does not need to be parsed.

Whether the extracted pattern information is one of various pieces ofpattern information such as the hierarchical coding unit patterninformation, the group pattern information, the density patterninformation, etc. may be determined according to a coded depth of thecurrent coding unit, the encoding mode, etc. Pattern information typeinformation indicating whether one of various pieces of patterninformation has been encoded may be extracted, and pattern informationof the current coding unit may be read based on the pattern informationtype information.

In operation 2830, video data encoded for each coding unit of at leastone coded depth is decoded and restored based on the informationregarding the encoding mode.

The video encoding and video decoding according to exemplary embodimentsperform encoding and decoding of a large size data unit in order toperform image processing on large size video data. Thus, patterninformation may not be dense with respect to a data unit of a wide planeregion or a data unit of a picture that spatially does not have motioninformation. Furthermore, the pattern information may not be dense withrespect to a picture having a complex pixel value. Therefore, a levelapplied to the pattern information is adjusted according to a density ofpattern information of the picture, thereby increasing transmissionefficiency of the pattern information.

The exemplary embodiments can be written as computer programs and can beimplemented in general-use digital computers that execute the programsusing a computer readable recording medium. Examples of the computerreadable recording medium include magnetic storage media (e.g., ROM,floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optical recording media (e.g.,CD-ROMs, or DVDs). Alternatively, the exemplary embodiments may beimplemented as carrier waves or signals of a computer readabletransmission medium for transmission over a network, such as theInternet.

As will be understood by the skilled artisan, the exemplary embodimentsmay be implemented as software or hardware components, such as a FieldProgrammable Gate Array (FPGA) or Application Specific IntegratedCircuit (ASIC), which performs certain tasks. A unit or module mayadvantageously be configured to reside on the addressable storage mediumand configured to execute on one or more processors or microprocessors.Thus, a unit or module may include, by way of example, components, suchas software components, object-oriented software components, classcomponents and task components, processes, functions, attributes,procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware,microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays,and variables. The functionality provided for in the components andunits may be combined into fewer components and units or modules orfurther separated into additional components and units or modules.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form anddetails may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined by the appended claims. The exemplaryembodiments should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation. Therefore, the scope of the invention is definednot by the detailed description of the invention but by the appendedclaims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as beingincluded in the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A video decoding apparatus comprising: anextractor which extracts from a bitstream first pattern informationindicating whether residual samples of a current coding unit are equalto 0, and when the first pattern information indicates the residualsamples are not equal to 0, extracts from the bitstream transformationindex information indicating whether a transformation unit of a currentlevel included in the current coding unit is split; a decoder whichsplits the transformation unit of the current level into transformationunits of a lower level when the transformation index informationindicates a split of the transformation unit of the current level,wherein the extractor further extracts second pattern information forthe transformation unit of the current level when the transformationindex information indicates a non-split of the transformation unit ofthe current level, wherein the second pattern information indicateswhether the transformation unit of the current level contains one ormore transform coefficients not equal to
 0. 2. The video decodingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the transformation unit of the currentlevel is included in the coding unit, and a size of the transformationunit of the current level is smaller than or equal to a size of thecoding unit.
 3. The video decoding apparatus of claim 2, wherein thetransformation unit of the current level is obtained by halving a heightand a width of the coding unit.
 4. The video decoding apparatus of claim1, wherein the coding unit is a data unit in which a picture of theencoded video is encoded and the transformation unit of the currentlevel is a data unit in which the data of the coding unit istransformed.